Inking ribbon mechanism



April 7, 1953 R. E. PARIS El'AL 2,634,063

INKING RIBBON MECHANISM Filed Jan. 14, 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS ROBERT E.PAR|S J.H. BAKELAAR EFT COMSTOCK ATTORNEY April 7, 1953 R. E. PARIS ETAL INKING RIBBON MECHANISM 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 14. 1948 mvemons ROBERT EPARIS J.H. BAKELAAR EE COMSTOCK. BY/

ATTORNEY 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 14, 1948 April 7, 1953 R. E. PARIS EI'AL 2,634,063

INKING RIBBON MECHANISM Filed Jan. 14, 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 \\\\\\\lIIl///// INVENTORS ROBERT E.PARIS J-H- BAKELAAR E..F COMSTOCK g/ WW ATTORNEY April 7, 1953 R. E. PARIS ETAL 2,634,053

INKING RIBBON MECHANISM Filed Jan. 14, 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 J. H. BAKE LAAR E. F. COM-STOCK ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 7, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INKING RIBBON MECHANISM ration of New York Application January 14, 1948, Serial No. 2,2116

9 Claims. 1

This invention relates to mechanism for feeding inking ribbons such as are used in various kinds of business machines; for example, typewriters, adding machines, and record controlled accounting and statistical machines.

The broad object of the present invention is to provide an improved ribbon feeding and reversing mechanism suitable for use in business mas chines.

An object is to provide a ribbon feeding and reversing mechanism which is completely poweroperated and does not impose any additional load on the means for actuating the feeding mechanism during the period of reversal of the feed of the ribbon.

An object is to provide a ribbon feeding mechanism which is capable of effecting relatively large movements of the ribbon, which movements may be controll d very readily.

An object is to provide a ribbon feeding mechanism in which the feeding and reversal of the ribbon is completely electrically controlled.

An object is to provide a ribbon feeding mechanism which is capable of being applied to a large number of different types of business machines.

An object is to provide a ribbon feeding mechanism which may also be used for feeding carbon ribbons or hectograph ribbons.

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose, by way of example, the principle of the invention and the best mode, which has been contemplated, of applying that principle.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a plan view showing the ribbon mechanism attached to a record controlled accounting and statistical machine.

Fig. 2 is a left-hand side elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. i.

Fig. 3 is a large scale front View in elevation of the left-hand ribbon feeding unit.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a plan view partly in section of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3.

6 is a detail view on a large scale showing the end of the clutch shifting lever and shows the clutch in disengaged position.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to 6 but shows the clutch in engaged position.

Fig. 8 is a large scale front elevation of the right-hand ribbon unit.

Fig. 9 is a plan view partially in section of the mechanism. shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 1c is a vertical section on the line l(l.h'i in Fig. 9.

Fig. ll a wiring diagram.

12 is a detail view showing the feed disk fo h b on in p ace on the ri ht-hand ribbon feed unit. 1

ilk

In the drawings the mechanism is shown as applied to a perforated record card controlled accounting and statistical machine but it will be understood that the mechanism is not limited in application to the particular type of machine disclosed in the drawings, but may be readily applied to other record controlled machines and to other types of machines, such as typewriters and adding machines, merely by modifying the manner of pulsing the magnets and the manner in which the power is applied to the ribbon mechanism. This will be made clearer hereinafter.

The ribbon mechanism comprises a right-hand unit generally designated RHU and a left-hand unit LHU in Figs. 1 and 2. These units include the right-hand bracket go which supports the right-hand unit Rl-IU and the bracket M which supports the left-hand unit Ll-IU. These brackets are secured to parallel fixed main frame members 22 which, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, also support the platen 23 around which the work sheet 24 is fed.

The printing mechanism is generally designated 25 in Figs. 1 and 2 and includes the type elements 26 which are operated in a suitable fashion to make impressions on the work sheet 24 through the inking ribbon in a manner which need not be discussed herein since the specific form of the printing mechanism is not important. The printing mechanism is supported on two parallel frame members 2'. which are located bl.- tween the frame members 22 and parallel ther with. The right-hand unit RHU is the simpler of the two units and for that reason will be discussed first with reference to Figs. 1, 2, 6 to is. It will be understood that the left-hand ribbon feed unit is a mirror image of the right-hand unit and, with one exception, contains all of the parts of the right-hand unit.

Secured to the top of the bracket is a plate 28 provided with a vertical bushing 28a (Figs. 8, 9. and 10) in which is journaled the right-hand ribbon spool drive shaft 2%. This shaft shouldered at its upper end to provide a reduced portion 29a on which is received the right-hand ribbon spool 39 and the extreme upper end of the shaft 29 is threaded to receive the knurled thumb screw 5! by means of which the spool is retained on the shouldered portion 2%.

Secured to the shaft 29 adjacent the shouldered portion 29a. is a collar 32 (Fig. 10) which is pinned to the shaft and has a pin 32a loosely received in a hole in the side of the ribbon spool 39 to key said spool to the shaft 29. The collar 32 is shouldered to act as a seat for the multipronged spring 33, the prongs of which press downwardly on a disk 34 loose on the shaft 23. Interposed between disk 3 and the plate 28 is a ring of friction material 35 which is centered with respect to the shaft 25) by means of a loose washer 36. The spring 33 presses the disk 34 downwardly which in turn presses the washer 35 against the plate 28 and acts as a brake for the shaft 29 to prevent spinning of the ribbon spool 30 when the latter.

is unwinding.

Secured to the lower end of the shaft 29 is a toothed clutch disk 8? (Figs. 8 and 10). Coaxial with the shaft 29 is a vertical drive shaft 38 which is journaled in the bracket 20 and carries at its lower end a bevel gear 39 meshing with a bevel gear it] secured to a short shaft 4| (Fig. 1) journaled in the right-hand frame plate 22. The upper end of the shaft 38 has secured to it a hub 52 formed with a flange 42a loosely supporting a clutch disk 43 which confronts the clutch disk 3?. The clutch disk 43 is slidably keyed to the hub 42 by means of three pins 63a which are loosely received in holes in the clutch disk 53 but the clutch disk is free to be shifted axially upward to engage the clutch disk 3?. Normally a multipronged spring Ml urges the clutch disk 43 downwardly and holds it in engagement with the top side of the flange 42a in which position the disks 3?, 53 will be disengaged. The multipronged spring is is retained under tension on the hub 42 by means of a suitable wire retaining ring sprung into a groove formed in the hub 32a.

The clutch comprising the members 37, 53 is engaged by means of a solenoid designated Rl-IFM (Figs. 8 and 10) and hereinafter termed the right-hand feed magnet. This solenoid is mounted on the bracket 20 and has its plunger 45 pivotally connected to one arm of a clutch operating lever 56 pivoted on the pin il carried by the bracket 2%. The left-hand end of the lever 45 has a stud 48 (see Figs. 6 and '7 also) on which is rotatably mounted a beveled disk 49. Normally, when the solenoid RHFM is deenergized, the disk as is just clear of the clutch disk 43 but, upon energization of the solenoid RI-IFM, the disk 49 is brought into engagement with the clutch disk :33 and the beveled portion of the disk A9 earns the clutch disk 53 upwardly into engagement with the clutch disk 37 as shown in Fig. '7, establishing a driving connection between the right-hand ribbon spool shaft 29 and the vertical drive shaft 38. It is quite apparent that the extent to which the ribbon spool as will be rotated will depend on the duration of the impulse to the magnet RHFM. It is thus possible to obtain a long or short feed of the ribbon merely by controlling the duration of the pulse to the right-hand feed magnet RHFM. The manner in which these pulses are imparted to the feed magnet RI-IFM and the cmpanion feed magnet for the left-hand unit, designated LI-IFM, will be made clear hereinafter.

From the spool 36, as clearly illustrated in Fig. l, the ribbon R (shown in solid lines) is led from the right-hand ribbon spool 38 to the right across the face of a guide shoe 55 secured to the top surface of the plate 28, around a guide pulley i, then forwardly, or downward in Fig. 1, around a second guide pulley 52. The ribbon is then carried across the machine between the work sheet on the platen 24 and the type elements 26 to the left-hand unit LHU which is similarly provided with guide rollers 5!, 52. Pivotally mounted on a stud 53 (Figs. 1, 8, and 9), carried by the right hand plate 28, is a ribbon control lever 54 having two lugs 54a which will just clear the shoe 5t and the ribbon R when the lever 54 is in either of its two possible operated positions so that the ribbon may move freely between the lugs Mia and the shoe At a few nches from the point where the ribbon R is anchored to the spool 30, there is secured an enlargement 5-5, such as a metal clip or staple, of greater thickness than the clearance space between the lug 54a and the shoe 50 so that, as the ribbon becomes exhausted from the righthand spool 36, the enlargement 55 will eventually engage the right-hand lug E la in Figs. 1 and 9 and rock the control lever 54 in a clockwise direction, this movement being limited by a pin 55 carried by plate 23 and which extends through an arcuate slot in the ribbon control lever 5s. The lever 54 is held in either of its alternate positions by a toggle spring 5? connected to the pin 55 and to a pin carried by the lever 54.

The ribbon control lever 54 is formed with a downwardly extending lug 54b (Figs. 8 and 9) which engages the operating arm 58 of a sensitive switch designated RHC and upon the right hand contacts. This switch is of a conventional form known in the art in which a very small movement and a relatively light force operatescontacts to open or close a circuit. The switch REC may be of a form known under the trade names of microswitch and is of the normally closed circuit type which is opened whenever the lever 58 is moved to the left or clockwise in Fig. 9.

The movement of the lever 5 by the enlargement 55 brings the left-hand lug Eda into the position now occupied by the right-hand lug in Fig. 9 so that, when the spool 36 starts to wind the ribbon, the enlargement 55 will engage the left-hand lug 54a and rock the lever 56 back to the position of Fig. 9.

For a purpose which will be made clear hereinafter, there is pivoted on a stud 59 (Fig. 9) carried by the plate 28 an arm 65 on which is rotatably mounted a pressure roller 5!. The arm 68 is held against a stop pin 62 by means of a spring $3.

The left-hand ribbon unit LHU includes all of the parts so far described with the exception of the arm 6|), the pin 62, and the spring 63 and these parts are similarly designated in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, the only exception being that the magnet is designated LHFM signifying left-hand feed magnet.

The shafts 4! for the two feed units are located in axial alignment with each other and are provided with gears 64 (Figs. 1 and 2) which mesh with large gears 65 journaled on studs 65 carried by the arms 61. The latter are journaled on the shafts 4i and are urged in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 2) by the springs 53, movement of the arms being limited by eccentric studs 69 carried by the plates 22. The gears 65 mesh with gears 70 on a cross shaft ii journaled in the frame plates 21. A gear 12 carried by the shaft ll meshes with a gear 13 which is part of a train of gearing driven by the main shaft it and which includes the gears I5, 76, Ti and the gear 18 on the main shaft i l. The shaft it is driven continually by a motor (not shown), consequently both of the vertical shafts 38 rotate at all times while the machine is in operation and it is apparent that the ribbon may be fed in either direction merely by selectively ener gizing the feed magnets RHFM, LHFM to cause the ribbon to feed (Fig. l) in the direction de noted by the prefix letters R, L of the feed mas-- nets. Thus when the magnet RHFM is energized the ribbon R will feed to the right in Fig. l.

The operation of the ribbon mechanism will now be described with reference to Fig. 11 show ing the manner in which the magnets LHFW, RHFM may be selectively energized under control of the ribbon itself &0 cause the ribbon to automatically reverse its direction of feed when either spool becomes exhausted. t should be remarked at this point that the sensitive switch. RI-IC for the right-hand unit is of the normally closed type which is opened whenever the switch operating arm 53 is rocked clockwise by the control lever 54 for the right-hand unit.

In Fig. 11 the letters CB refer to a circuit closing device of some sort which is operated at periodic and appropriate intervals during the cycle of operation of the business machine to cause the ribbon to feed. The number, points at which the contacts CB operate will be detcrmined by the type of machine and the relative timing of the printing operations. In a record controlled accounting and statistical machine it may be necessary that the contacts CE?- close during that part of the cycle in which printing operations are not being eiiected as movement or" the ribbon during such operations may produce blurred impressions. Th se contacts CB may be driven from any suitable shaft or device in the machine which has the appropriate time of Operation. In the event that the ribbon mechanism were applied to a typewriting machine, for example, the contacts CB could be operated by a universal bar actuated or controlled by the ty e bar to insure that the feeding of the ribbon will take place after the printing operation has bee effective. If desired the shaft ii may be driven by an independent motor or, if the invention were incorporated in a typewriting machine of power operated type, the shaft ii may be driven by suitable gearing to the main drive motor or power roller for the typewriting machine.

As soon as current is turned on the line wires WI, W2 there exists the possibility of a circuit through the contacts CB and the right-hand feed magnet RHFM through the contacts c of the relay RI when the contacts CB close at the ap propriate point in the machine operating cycle. It will be assumed that the switch REC is closed and the switch Ll-IC is open which is the normal condition when the ribbon is being fed in either direction. The impulsing of the magnet RHFM causes the clutch members 2?, 3 for the leithand unit to be periodically engagez, resul ing in counterclockwise rotation of the right-hand ribbon spool 39, thereby causing the ribbon R to be fed to the right, the extent of which will. be

determined by the duration of the current pulse through the magnet REIFM and by the amount Of ribbon already piled on the spool. Naturally, as the radius of the ribbon ac u1nulated on the spool increases, the ribbon be fed to an increasingly greater extent until eventually the enlargement 55 on the left-hand spool 38 will engage the left-hand lug 5-541 (fig. 13 and rock the left-hand control lever 56 counterclocl zwise, thereby causing the left-hand switch L250 to close. This causes the relay Hi to become energized by a circuit through the switches LI-lC, EEG, and opens the contacts 0, thereby stopping the impulsing or" the right-hand feed magnet RHFM and, by closing contacts b, causes the iinpulsing Of the left-hand feed magnet LHFM. At the same time, the contacts a of the relay Rt close and establish a holding it for 1e relay RI through the right-hand switch 6 cause the de-energization of relay R! and contacts 0 will reclose to cause pulsing of the righthand magnet RHFM to again take place and the ribbon will now feed to the right as before.

After each operation of a lever 54 the reversal of the feed of the ribbon will cause the enlargement 55 to engage the left-hand lug 54a in the case of the right-hand unit RHU, or the right hand lug Sta in the case of the left-hand unit LHU, and restore the lever 54 to the condition shown in Fig. 1 which is the normal condition when the ribbon is feeding in either direction. Once the relay RI is energized the re-opening of the switch Ll-IC has no eliect and, on the other hand, once the relay Rl becomes de-energized, the reclosing of the switch RHC has no effect.

In order to feed a carbon ribbon or a hectograph ribbon it is not necessary to use the reversing feature since hectograph and carbon ribbons are only used once and discarded.

For the purpose of feeding a carbon ribbon the right-hand ribbon spool 30 is removed and a knurled feed wheel 19 (Fig. 12) is substituted in place of the ri bon spool, the arm 6d being swung in a counterclockwise direction far enough to ermit the insertion of the feed wheel 79. The latter is somewhat larger in diameter than the maximum diameter of the ribbon accumulate. on the ribbon spool so that the feed roller 6! engages the knurled surface of the feed roller it under the tension of spring 63, arm 59 being held clear of pin 52 as in Fig. 12.

The plate 28 for the left-hand feed unit (Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 5) is considerably larger than the plate for the right-hand unit and extends rearwardly to form support for a spool of carbon ribbon S. This spool is supported by a vertical shaft dl mounted in the same general fashion as the shafts 29 and similarly provided with a brake comprising the spring 33, disk 34, and washers 35 and 36 to prevent the spool S from unwinding too freely, and the spool S is constructed very similarly to the spools 39 except that the flanges are considerably larger in diameter. The threading of the carbon ribbon CR is indicated by dotted lines in Fig. l and it will be seen that it follows the same path as the ribbon R with respect to the left-hand unit but, with respect to the right-hand unit, the carbon ribbon is passed directly around the knurled feed roller 19, underneath the feed roller BI, and allowed to feed to one side of the machine, the ribbon being discarded after one use.

Provision is made for stopping the machine or otherwise controlling it or warning the operator that the carbon ribbon exhausted. This means consists of a feeler arm 62 (Figs. 1., 2, and 5) which is pivoted on. a stud 23 carried by the lefthand plate 23 and carrying a roller designed to ride on the coil of ribbon on the spool S and urged in a counterclockwise direction by a spring (Fig. 5). The feeler lever 82 (Figs. 3 and 5) has an. arm 52a formed with a downward extension capable of engaging the operating arm 85 of a sensitive switch SC of the same type as the magnets Rl-ZFM, Ll-IFM to operate said switch when the spool S becomes completely unwound. The switch SC is of the normally closed type.

When loading the machine with carbon or hectograph ribbons it is desirable that the arm 82 be loclzed in a disengaged position and for this purpose there is provided a catch at (Figs. 1 and 5) pivoted at 87 on the plate 28. The catch is urged in a counterclockwise direction by a spring 88 and is formed with a shoulder or notch 85a engaging a part of the arm 82 to the right of the pivot 83 to hold the arm 82 in disengaged position as in Fig. 5. The catch 86 has an upstanding lug 86b serving as a finger-piece for releasing the catch 85 when the new spool of carbon ribbon has been placed on the shaft 8 I.

The switch SC may be placed in the circuit for the clutch magnet CM (Fig. 11) machine so as to stop the operation of the machine as soon as the ribbon becomes exhausted. In the case of the application of the ribbon mechanism to a machine like a typewriter, the switch SC may be placed in series with the motor which drives the shafts 38, or the contacts may be placed in series with the circuit breaker contacts 013 to prevent impulses being delivered to the magnets LHFM, RHFM.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention, as applied to a preferred embodiment, it Will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An inking ribbon feeding mechanism for cfiice machines comprising a pair of ribbon feeding units, each unit including a driven shaft and a device for detecting the end of the ribbon; a continually operating main power shaft; a pair of normally disengaged clutches, one for each of said units, for coupling the driven shaft to said drive shafts; and means selectively controlled by said detecting devices for momentarily engaging one of said clutches.

2. An inking ribbon feeding mechanism for oihce machines comprising a main power shaft; a pair of ribbon feeding units, each including a ribbon spool, a drive shaft for said spool, 9. normally disengaged clutch for coupling the drive shaft to the main shaft; a magnet for actuating the clutch, and a device for detecting exhaustion of the ribbon spool, said detecting device including switch means; a source of electric pulses for said magnets, and means controlled by said switches for connecting first one or said magnets and then the other to said source of pulses.

8. An inking ribbon mechanism for ofiice machines, comprising a power source, a pair of ribbon feeding spools, means for selectively coupling said spools to said power source including a pair of normally ineffective electro-mechanical coupling devices each having a magnet for rendering the coupling device momentarily effective, and contact means actuated by the ribbon for selecting said magnets.

4. In ribbon feeding mechanism for office machines, a main power source; and a pair of self contained ribbon feeding units, each comprising a ribbon spool, a drive shaft therefor, a normally disengaged clutch for coupling the drive shaft to the power source, a magnet for actuating the clutch, and switch means actuated by the ribbon for closing a circuit to the magnet when the spool for such unit is exhausted.

5. An inking ribbon mechanism comprising a pair of ribbon spools, a main power shaft, normally inactive means to couple said ribbon spools to said power shaft including a clutch for each spool and a magnet for engaging said clutch, means tending to pulse said magnets at periodic intervals to feed said ribbon intermittently, a relay for selecting the magnet to be pulsed, and contact means associated with said spools and operative to alternately energize and deenergize said relay according to which of the spools becomes exhausted of ribbon,

6. An inking ribbon mechanism comprising a pair of ribbon spools, a main power shaft, means to clutch said ribbon spools to said power shaft includin a clutch for each spool and a magnet for engaging said clutch, means tending to pulse a selected one of said magnets at periodic intervals, a relay for selecting the magnet to be pulsed, and a pair of contact devices, one for each spool for first closing a circuit to said relay when one spool becomes empty and then openin the circuit to said relay when the other spool becomes empty.

7. An inking ribbon mechanism comprising a pair of ribbon spools, a main power shaft, means to clutch said ribbon spools to said power shaft including a clutch for each spool and a magnet for engaging said clutch, means tending to pulse said magnets at periodic intervals, a relay for selecting the magnet to be pulsed; and a series circuit for said relay including a pair of switches, one for each spool, one switch being closed when its associated spool becomes empty and the second switch being opened when the other spool becomes empty.

8. An inking ribbon mechanism comprisin a pair of ribbon spools, a main power shaft, means to clutch said ribbon spools to said power shaft including a clutch for each spool and a magnet for engaging said clutch, means tending to pulse said magnets at periodic intervals, a relay selecting the magnet to be pulsed, means associated with said ribbon spools for detecting the exhaustion of the ribbon, and contact means in circuit with said relay and alternately closed and opened by the detecting means according to which of said spools is exhausted.

9. An inking ribbon mechanism comprisin a pair of ribbon spools, a main power shaft, means to clutch said ribbon spools to said power shaft including a clutch for each spool and a magnet for operating said clutch, means tending to pulse said magnets at periodic intervals, a relay for selecting the magnet to be pulsed; a pair of ribbon exhaustion detecting members, one for each spool; and a pair of switches, each actuated by one of said members, in circuit with said relay, one of said switches being normally open and closed by its associated member to energize said relay and select the clutch magnet corresponding to the exhausted spool, the other of said switches being normally closed and opened by its associated member when the second spool is exhausted to thereby deenergize said relay and select the other of said clutch magnets.

ROBERT E. PARIS. JOHN H. BAKELAAR. EMERSON F. COMSTOCK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,945,571 Samaras et a1. Feb. 6, 1934 2,176,828 Walker Oct. 17, 1939 2,300,755 Williams Nov. 3, 1942 2,430,538 Somers Nov. 11, 1947 

